The Academic College at Wingate is an accredited institution of higher education that offers students combined academic and professional training for employment in the fields of movement, training, rehabilitation and sports, and for teaching Physical Education.

To provide high level academic studies to train and prepare a cadre of professionals to engage in Physical Education, sport training, active recreation, dance, and rehabilitation through movement.

To provide and promote professional training for teachers, coaches, managers and leaders in the fields of sport and movement.

To serve as a center for supplementary studies, continuing education and in-service studies for those engaging in these fields.

To heighten the public’s awareness of the contribution of the many forms of movement to human development and optimal functioning.

Schools and units

Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) Studies in Physical Education

College graduates are certified to engage in education, teaching, training and rehabilitation in fields and disciplines related to Physical Education and sport. Studies include academic-pedagogic training and optional specialization in one of the sub-disciplines that comprise Physical Education. B.Ed. studies in Physical Education are divided between the School of Education and the School of Physical Education.

School of Education

The aim of the School of Education is to prepare the College's graduates as educators, to inculcate them with pedagogical and didactic knowledge and to develop their ability to apply the knowledge they acquire as they develop a value-based educational worldview during their years of study. Studies in this School include basic and auxiliary academic subjects, pedagogy and teaching methodology, academic, computer and linguistic literacy, educational and teaching research, and preservice student teaching in elementary and high school.

Student teaching is guided by experienced teachers in the schools and is overseen both at the College and in school settings by pedagogical instructors. Teacher training includes workshops for integrating theory and practice.

School of Physical Education

The aim of the School of Physical Education is to expose College students to the movement and sport sciences, to prepare them as professionals by enhancing their knowledge through research, and to complete teacher education programs as required by the Ministry of Education. Subjects taught include scientific fundamentals of the movement and sport sciences such as Introduction to Physiology and Introduction to Psychology, as well as core subjects, such as Anatomy, Kinesiology, Physiology of Exercise, and Physical Fitness. In addition to the introductory and core subject courses, the School offers electives in select issues pertaining to movement and sport such as: Biomechanics of Sport Injuries, Building and Evaluating Training Programs, and Sports and Nutrition in the Life Cycle. The School also offers courses in movement skills related to classical subjects such as ball games and athletics, and electives in recreational and leisure time skills for all ages. Also included in the School of Physical Education are special departments which offer students the opportunity to expand their knowledge in other areas of physical activity. The departments include: Posture Cultivation and Preventive Exercise, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Adapted Physical Education, Physical Education for the Elderly, Sports Management, and Physical Education in Early Childhood.

Specialization Departments

Sport Management – Students in this specialization gain extensive knowledge about managing sport and Physical Education systems. The field experience they undergo assists them in finding their place in managerial positions in the sports industry in Israel. The curriculum includes: Theories of Sports Organization, Budgeting and Producing Sporting Events, Public Relations and Recruiting Sponsorships in the World of Sports, Media and Sports, Sports and Law, and the Structure of Global Sports Systems.

Adapted Physical Activity – The focus of this department is populations with cognitive, perceptual, motor and physical disorders. With the knowledge and tools acquired in the department, graduates can apply a variety of work methods when dealing with populations suffering from coordination development disorders, motor clumsiness, learning disorders, ADD and ADHD, autism, PDD, mental retardation, and physical disabilities.

Cardiac Rehabilitation – The benefits of physical activity are clarified for treating patients with heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes and high blood lipids, in both hospital and private settings. Students take courses that include: Physiological Responses, Stress Tests, Reading ECGs, Medications, Principles of Physical Activity, and an internship in cardiac rehabilitation centers.

Posture Cultivation and Preventive Exercise – Good posture is the aim of this department and its curriculum. Physical Education teachers are trained to promote and nurture good posture, prevent posture disorders, and diagnose and rehabilitate existing disorders in conjunction with orthopedists. The curriculum includes: Good Posture and Its Effects on Health, Functionality and Sports, the Anatomical, Physiological, and Biomechanical Background of Proper Posture, Diagnosing and Identifying Posture Disorders, Distinguishing between Different Types of Posture Disorders, and Principles of Posture Rehabilitation.

Physical Activity for the Elderly – Senior citizens (aged 65 and up) and the contribution of physical activity to their well being are the focus of studies in this department. Students learn the principles for adapting and implementing activity programs in clubs for the elderly, day care centers, and old age homes according to their physical ability level. The curriculum includes: Principles of Physical Activity, Biological and Physiological Changes in Healthy and Disabled Elderly People, and Socio-psychological Aspects of Adulthood and Old Age.

Physical Activity in Early Childhood – Physical Education in kindergartens and for children aged 3-6 is the focus of studies in this department. It prepares Physical Education teachers to implement guided activity and provide professional advice to kindergarten teachers for designing a movement-friendly environment and for integrating movement in the subjects taught in kindergarten. The curriculum includes: Senso-motor Development in Early Childhood, Curriculum and Planning in Kindergarten, Wellness Education in Early Childhood, Organizing a Movement-friendly Environment, and the Contribution of Movement to Academic Learning.

Olympic Studies - The Olympic Games, the largest sports event in the world, attracts viewers from all over the globe every four years for more than two weeks of activity. Students in this Department learn about the various sports events in the summer and winter Games and their ties to the various sport sciences. Studies in the Department expand students’ knowledge, understanding and implementation of the Olympic Ideal as it is reflected in a broad array of social, life and sport sciences.